Xct Mu Bi Pm Pc 44Precious Things
Pāli / Sanskrit:Ratana
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THE DISCOURSE ON PRECIOUS THINGS - RATANA SUTTA
Context
The Ratana Sutta (Precious Things) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka and is one of the verses widely recited in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. According to the Pāli Canon, this discourse was taught by the Buddha in order to protect and increase the faith of devotees, especially when they faced misfortune and mental disturbance.
The setting in which the Ratana Sutta was used is connected with an event when the city of Vesālī was afflicted by floods, disease, and internal discord. The community of devotees and the people felt afraid and bewildered. The Buddha proclaimed the three most precious treasures - the Three Ratana - so that people might contemplate them, restore their religious confidence, and regain inner peace. These are not concrete material objects, but profound spiritual values of the Buddha-Dharma.
Main Content
The Three Ratana, or three precious things, declared by the Buddha are: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
The Buddha Ratana - The first precious treasure is the Buddha Gotama, the Awakened One who realized unsurpassed awakening, unequaled by anyone. The Buddha is the light of wisdom that illumines the darkness of ignorance (avidyā). By contemplating the Buddha and his incomparable virtues - such as wisdom (paññā), morality (sīla), and meditative concentration (samādhi) - the practitioner finds here a firm refuge.
The Dharma Ratana - The second precious treasure is the Dharma, that is, the teachings of the Buddha, the Noble Eightfold Path (ariya-aṭṭhangika-magga), and the instructions concerning the reality of suffering, the cause of suffering, and the cessation of suffering. The Dharma is a practical guide through which each person practices for himself or herself and directly verifies for himself or herself. It is not an absolute dependence on any deity, but a clear understanding of the nature of phenomena (anicca, dukkha, anattā).
The Sangha Ratana - The third precious treasure is the Sangha, the community of those who have practiced and attained stages on the sacred path. The Sangha consists of shining examples, those who have gone before and help us see clearly the way of practice.
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